Lawyers put in nearly 11 hours on Wednesday

With the folks who run the show returning to the labor talks on Thursday, the lawyers went overtime — a little — to set the table for what could be a final push toward an agreement in principle.

Albert Breer of NFL Network reports that the lawyers met for 11 hours on Wednesday in Manhattan, working on the crafting of language that will appear in the new CBA, if/when a new CBA is finalized.

Breer also reports that the parties don’t believe Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan’s looming vacation requires a deal to be reached before Boylan bolts. Citing two unnamed sources, Breer says that the preseason revenue remains the primary motivation for working out a new labor deal.

Either way, Thursday looks to be the biggest day to date in determining whether this deal can be worked out in a manner that salvages the entire regular season and preseason.

Must be trying to build up hours to get off early (or completely) on Friday.

cowboysfan18 says:Jul 6, 2011 11:53 PM

I feel like the hillbilly wife that gets beat by her husband but keeps coming back. I don’t want to read the back and forth, close to deal, not close to a deal but I keep coming back because MY love of the game. I wish this was their incentive for wanting to get a deal done. But as long as they get it done in time who cares.
I’ve talked to people that say they are on the owners side and some are on the players side. I was like this until I realized that the best thing was to be on my side, the side that just wants football. I will be unhappy with both sides until the deal is signed.

Hey, why don’t we sit Monty Hall and Wayne Brady down and let them “make a deal” for a new CBA?

realitypolice says:Jul 7, 2011 12:09 AM

Lawyers working 11 hours on the legal framework of a deal with their clients meeting the next day?

NFL, AT&T, IBM, doesn’t matter. That’s a business deal that’s about to close.

Sorry, chicken littles. No games missed, not even pre-season.

rajbais says:Jul 7, 2011 12:10 AM

Well, they probably ruined everything!!

How much per hour? The more money spent the worse things will be!!!

jetfaninla says:Jul 7, 2011 12:15 AM

Omg, the lawyers torched the deal! What…wait? It must have been hard to write an article that didn’t have at least one cheap shot aimed at the lawyers.

Looks like the lawyers did their jobs. Now let’s see if the players and owners do the same.

lamepftposter says:Jul 7, 2011 12:17 AM

breaking the troll language again because this needs to be said… entirely too many of these negotiations are based on when and where these people can meet and for how long, and who is going to go on vacation, and what other summer holidays are coming up ad infinitum. it seems like they can only carve out less than 20 hours a week out to work on this deal when the real deadline (the real training camp/preseason/regular season) is insanely quickly approaching. either they’re stupid, they’re lazy, or both (the most likely answer).

if billions of dollars were on the line in my line of work, i’d be sweating it out, ordering horrible chinese food at 4am, literally putting everything on hold until my source of revenue (the fanbase) were satisfied with the idea of spending money on my product again.

hey owners/players – i have a significant amount of “entertainment dollars” that i would have spent this offseason on the NFL, but i haven’t spent a dime yet. i’ve used it on things that are tangible, in which i feel like i’m not treated like an expendable pawn. when this lockout ends, i’m not dipping into that fund again, as if i was saving all of those dollars in an “NFL post-lockout fund”. they went somewhere else.

the longer you drag this out and (ostensibly) make it seem like you’re going to do it when it’s convenient for you, the more bitter we’re going to become. like i said earlier, maybe you’re lazy, or maybe you’re stupid, but right about now, you’re the dumbest businessmen in the united states.

Wow. 11 hours. That’s amazing. I worked 14 hours today for probably 2% of what these clowns get paid. Who gives a crap. They should be working 24/7 until this thing is done. Should have been doing that from the start.

Friday: There is still work to be done on a new CBA, but progress rejuvenates a little bit

Saturday: Talks remain far apart on the core issues

Sunday: No talks scheduled

Monday: Talks break down and goes back to courts

staff2cj4td says:Jul 7, 2011 12:59 AM

and the 11 hour meeting ended with a secret handshake to start arguing tomorrow to keep the lockout going and the lawyer fee’s rollin in!!!

B@STARDS!!!!!!

lovesportsandsurfing says:Jul 7, 2011 1:10 AM

The lawyers put in eleven hours on wednesday,…but charged for at least 14…they just cant help themselves.

imasturbate says:Jul 7, 2011 1:14 AM

11 hours…lol. Just like when the Casey Anthony lawyers celebrated in the bar the other day…they had on Marcia Clark (OJ’s prosecutor) and they asked her if it was disrespectful for her attorneys to be celebrating in the open at that bar in Orlando. She replied, no, I don’t think so, this is where they would conjugate every day to go over the case…lol

I’m sure part of their 11 hours is conjugating at the La Belle Vie across the street from the courthouse.

upperdecker19 says:Jul 7, 2011 1:17 AM

10.5 of the hours were dedicated to determining whether or not Brett Favre qualifies for retired player benefits

hedleykow says:Jul 7, 2011 1:25 AM

A lot of people probably don’t realize the picture is of Dick Vermeil and not Monte Hall.

ravensfan4life52 says:Jul 7, 2011 1:44 AM

i’ve got no beef with the lawyers now that they’re getting a flat fee and have no reason to want to derail the talks. glad to see they’re working.

Everyone posting regarding the Lawyers charging or running up the tab, remember, just the other day it was discussed that the lawyers are recieving a flat fee. Meaning regardless of the hours they put in, they will still get the same money. So it benefits them to put in as little time as possible. I for one, see this as a positive.

istateyourname says:Jul 7, 2011 7:18 AM

Lawyers put in nearly 11 hours on Wednesday…and they billed them for 110…

burntorangehorn says:Jul 7, 2011 7:54 AM

The way my law school told it, 11hrs. would be a short day. Whiners.

vetdana says:Jul 7, 2011 8:10 AM

at lamepftposter ….You are absolutely correct!…this debacle has embittered a great many fans who have lost respect for the players and owners of this league, because of their greed and total disrespect for the fans who support their lavish lifestyles.The diehard fans will always be willing to cough up great heaps of cash for NFL football but, the casual fan has had enough and is far less willing to grab their wallet, open it and throw cash at the persons who take them for granted. I for one will not do it and I know there are many who think the same.

burntorangehorn says:Jul 7, 2011 9:41 AM

I’m a die-hard fan, vetdana, but many die-hard fans are smart enough to watch the NFL in HD yet not buy the products advertised in the commercials, not pay through the nose for tickets from scalpers (a.k.a. “ticket resellers”), and live without hundreds of dollars in branded merchandise.

Knowing the third-string left guard on the team makes one more of a die-hard fan than does drinking a Bud Light while wearing an official jersey at a game attended using tickets from Stub Hub.